Theo Gray's Mad Science: Experiments you can do at home- but probably shouldn't by Theodore Gray

Ever wanted to make your own ice cream- using liquid hydrogen or dry ice? Ever wanted to astound your party guests by making ice sink? Ever wanted to make your own solid-silver bullet, or glass barbecue, or salt at home?

These are school science projects turned up to 11, and while some of them are impossible for people to do at home (requiring chemicals that it is illegal to possess in a private home or for a private person), you can still enjoy the pictures-from a rocket that runs on candy bars to making your own nylon, turning a soup can into a search light, make your own pencils, make an arc furnace, see a catalytic converter in action, make soap bubbles explode or tint titanium- even make yout own titanium.

You can achieve wonders like trapping lightning in a block or save a snowflake for decades. Reveal crystals in metal, plate your iPod, even turn pennies inside out. And best of all, not only is each step set out, but he also explains why it works, allowing readers to almost painlessly absorb the science.

I loved this book. Not only does it appeal to the science geek in all of us, it also appeals to the ten-year old boy that loves to see things blow up, break, explode and catch fire. It also makes a really good science fair book- like removing iron from beach sand using only a magnet.

It's great for adults as well, but let's face it, a lot of this stuff is expensive. Just a solid silver bullet is $12. Too expensive for real ammo, except if your undergoing a massive werewolf invasion. Of you could just silverplate your bullets- he gives instructions on electroplating, too.

Anyone interested in science is going to love this book, and it's quite an amazing read. I'd love to see more from Mr. Gray- and have my own solid silver bullet. I just wish I had the stuff I needed to produce it! Highly Recommended.